Lamar's Justin Brock uses health to his advantage

Updated 5:26 pm, Monday, August 10, 2015

Photo: Jake Daniels

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Lamar's Justin Brock, No. 76, warms up with the other team members during Friday evening's practice. The Lamar Cardinals held their opening practice Friday evening at Provost Umphrey Stadium.
Photo taken Friday 8/7/15
Jake Daniels/The Enterprise less

Lamar's Justin Brock, No. 76, warms up with the other team members during Friday evening's practice. The Lamar Cardinals held their opening practice Friday evening at Provost Umphrey Stadium.
Photo taken Friday ... more

Lamar's Justin Brock, No. 76, goes through a drill with other players during Friday's practice. The Lamar Cardinals held their opening practice Friday evening at Provost Umphrey Stadium.
Photo taken Friday 8/7/15
Jake Daniels/The Enterprise less

Lamar's Justin Brock, No. 76, goes through a drill with other players during Friday's practice. The Lamar Cardinals held their opening practice Friday evening at Provost Umphrey Stadium.
Photo taken Friday ... more

Lamar Head Coach Ray Woodard slaps hands with a player during warm ups Friday evening. The Lamar Cardinals held their opening practice Friday evening at Provost Umphrey Stadium.
Photo taken Friday 8/7/15
Jake Daniels/The Enterprise less

Lamar Head Coach Ray Woodard slaps hands with a player during warm ups Friday evening. The Lamar Cardinals held their opening practice Friday evening at Provost Umphrey Stadium.
Photo taken Friday 8/7/15
Jake ... more

Photo: Jake Daniels

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Lamar's Koby Couron, No. 92, and Corbin Carr, No. 99, watch a kick go through the uprights as they run through practice drills Friday. The Lamar Cardinals held their opening practice Friday evening at Provost Umphrey Stadium.
Photo taken Friday 8/7/15
Jake Daniels/The Enterprise less

Lamar's Koby Couron, No. 92, and Corbin Carr, No. 99, watch a kick go through the uprights as they run through practice drills Friday. The Lamar Cardinals held their opening practice Friday evening at Provost ... more

Photo: Jake Daniels

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Lamar's Justin Brock uses health to his advantage

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Lamar's Justin Brock just considers himself lucky.

Despite the notion that players in the trenches succumb to injury in their football career, the 6-5, 305-pound West Brook product has managed to start 24 straight games while becoming the unquestioned leader of the Cardinals' offensive line.

"I'll be the guy who get rolled up on by 15 people and just hop up," Brock said "I guess I'm just lucky like that. I didn't have any injuries in high school or anything either."

During his playing days at West Brook, Brock used his health to his advantage, earning a 2010 second-team selection on the Enterprise Super Gold Team, as well as being a part of the last Bruins team to win a playoff game in 2009.

"He (Brock) is rare in our game because in the trenches it's very physical and there are a lot of bodies falling around," said offensive coordinator Chuck Langston. "But his durability comes down to his work ethic and the things he's done in the weight room."

While Brock's full body of work may not garner him many headlines, his durability as a starting tackle has allowed for his teammates to make their own.

In the past two seasons with the Cardinals, Brock was instrumental in protecting quarterback Caleb Berry, who now holds the school record for touchdown passes, passing yards, total offense and completions.

Last year Brock and the Cardinals line help pace Lamar to the nation's fifth ranked offense in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).

"He's the guy who's been there and done that for us and has more experience than anyone," Langston said. "He's like a coach to be honest with you. He's certainly taken on a leadership role for us."

Langston went on to call Brock "the centerpiece of the offensive line," which are kudos that don't come easy according to Brock.

"That's high praise coming from Coach Langston because he's probably been coaching for as long as I've been alive," Brock said. "Words like that coming from him mean a lot to me."

Lamar began practice Friday night at Provost-Umphrey Stadium with Brock as their starting right tackle. The Cardinals open the 2015 football season Sept. 5 at home against Bacone College before hitting the road for a Sept. 12 showdown against Baylor.